Laura Brady on Bringing Her Flower Farm Beauty to Canvas
Laura Brady is a talented artist who went from being a graphic designer to a well-known acrylic painter. In this interview, Laura opens up about how she found her true passion for painting, her inspiration from her flower farm, and the creative process that brings her art to life. She shares the joys and challenges of her creative journey, including the fulfillment she gets from running her gallery and connecting with art lovers. Let’s discover more about Laura’s art and the beautiful journey that brought her creations to life.
Laura Brady began her professional career after graduating from Kutztown University with a BFA in Communication Design with three areas of concentration in Graphic Design, Advertising, and Illustration in 2001. She continued her career in small business graphic marketing and then went on a journey to retrace her fine art roots in illustration. It wasn’t until 2018 that Laura embarked on the adventure of acrylic painting. In 2019, she hosted her first solo exhibition at Gallery 840 in Allentown, PA. Since then, Laura has opened her own solo gallery & public studio space in Allentown, PA. As an award-winning artist, she has released and sold hundreds of her original paintings and exhibited at numerous galleries and renowned fine art shows here in the US and internationally, reaching the heart of each collector. The wonder of creation inspires her process, and she truly desires to capture nature’s pure essence and beauty with each paint stroke. Laura also owns and operates a flower farm in New Tripoli, PA, which is the source of inspiration for much of her work and creates a unique connection between the flowers she paints so the viewer can genuinely “experience the wonder” of nature.
1. Laura, your journey from studying art to becoming a painter is genuinely inspiring. How did you decide to focus on acrylic painting?
While studying Graphic Design, Advertising, & Illustration, I honestly never imagined I would end up pursuing acrylic painting as my main professional focus of artistry. While I implemented much of my illustration in my graphic design work, in 2015, I wanted to fully embrace my roots as an illustrator. My color pencil work became the main focus of my business until I started having visions that I could not capture with my pencil. While I never considered myself a wet media artist, I stepped out into the world of acrylic painting, and everything changed! I began releasing these visions onto canvas, knowing there was no turning back!
One of the joys of being a painter is to hear how a painting moves a collector’s heart, listen to stories about a particular flower and what it means to them, and who it reminds them of.. usually a long-passed loved one.
Laura Brady
2. How does spending time on your flower farm influence the way you paint, and how do you bring that natural beauty onto your canvas
My creative process truly begins in my cut flower fields where I grow & tend to my flowers, studying each of them closely with beautiful flower petals. I am awestruck by the wonder of each one of them! My entire process was created based on how a flower grows. First, I start with “ground work,” which is ground dirt! It is a mix of dark blends of color. My next stage is called “color blocking”; to me, it is like planting a seed. I quickly place the subject on the canvas, focusing on composition and color. There is much freedom and joy in this stage as I put color on the canvas; this is the excitement of a new, beautiful painting. Just like planting a seed, there is much anticipation of the new beautiful blooms. And finally, the last stage of my work is the detail stage. This is when the flower blooms! I feel like I am growing the flower. It is a fantastic process that allows me to be one with nature and the Creator.
3. What was the experience of your solo exhibition like, and did it influence how you presented your art?
My first solo gallery exhibition,” A Walk Through Eden,” was in 2019. It consisted of 30 pieces that invited the viewer to experience the pure beauty of Eden. The gallery generously exhibited my work since I was an emerging artist with only one year of acrylic painting experience. Here, I learned a lot about presentation and proper hanging techniques. It was a fantastic platform to launch my work and grow as a professional acrylic artist.
4. What motivated you to open up your gallery, and how has having your own space impacted your art-sharing process?
After working in my home studio for many years, I had a desire to open a public studio space. One of the joys of being a painter is to hear how a painting moves a collector’s heart, listen to stories about a particular flower and what it means to them, and who it reminds them of.. usually a long-passed loved one. I genuinely feel like each painting holds a testimony for the viewer. Now, with my public studio space & gallery, I can interact one-on-one with collectors in person, which grows relationships with collectors.
Painting in realism is much like reproducing a subject, which in some ways can be similar to a photograph.
Laura Brady
5. Could you explain your approach to blending impressionism and realism in your paintings?
Since I love the beauty found in nature, I am drawn to the realism aspect of painting. However, painting in realism is much like reproducing a subject, which in some ways can be similar to a photograph. My approach to blending realism and impressionism allows me to capture realistic aspects of a subject and release the mood or feelings I am experiencing while painting. My desire is not to paint a picture but to capture the awe and wonder of creation so the viewer can indeed be moved to experience nature intimately.
6. Finally, can you tell us about your typical day in the studio? What do you usually do to stay creative and inspired while you paint?
My typical creative work day first starts outside of the studio! I begin my day with a morning run, which is my time to creatively brainstorm about the day in my studio. It truly is amazing the power of our imagination! I can have an entire painting planned and experienced in my mind before I even get to the studio! This pre-planning allows me to be focused once I am physically in my studio. While in the studio, I listen to inspirational music or podcasts to keep my creativity flowing. This allows me to quiet my mind and enter into the journey of the painting. Once I feel like I’m actually in the painting, there is no turning back…. the journey has begun & I’m excited to reach the end of the adventure. To clarify, being “in the painting” is a process where my mind allows me to feel like I’m physically in the painting. Here, I see much more than a 2-D image. I can walk around my subject to capture its pure essence on canvas.
Laura Brady’s journey as an artist shows that amazing things come up when you do something wholeheartedly. Laura’s art is not just about what she sees but also about how she feels, making her work a true reflection of her love for nature. To learn more about Laura, click the following links to visit her profile.
